While speaking to fijivillage Sports, Fiji Football Association Chief Executive Officer Mohammed Yusuf says with 211 FIFA member associations competing for a place at the World Cup, qualification is never easy and the Fiji FA is taking a long-term approach to developing the sport from the grassroots to the elite level.
He says that since 2017, Fiji has qualified for FIFA youth tournaments, giving young players valuable international experience.
Yusuf says this year, Fiji has once again earned qualification at the youth level, demonstrating that the country's football development pathway is producing results.
The CEO also stressed that one of the key initiatives is the expansion of youth football through the McDonald's League, which provides structured competition for Under-14, Under-16 and Under-19 players and the schools football, including the Under-18 competitions, and employers' are also helping to identify and develop talented players from an early age.
Yusuf stresses that off the field, Fiji Football continues to invest in infrastructure like the development work at Lomaloma Stadium and the establishment of a High Performance Centre, including a FIFA-supported artificial pitch expected to begin in stages from August to October, are designed to provide players with world-class training facilities.
Yusuf says as Fiji continues to compete in Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) competitions, hopes remain high that one day the senior national team will reach the FIFA World Cup.
